Downtime
by J.A. Carlton
Summary: Just a week after Sam is released from the hospital, both of them still smarting from their wounds and with Sam harboring a dark secret they return to the game with a simple plan, a small haunting, but nothing is quite what they expect. Warverse compliant
1. Chapter 1

Downtime – Spn fic. chpt 1.

by: sifi.

Disclaimed – Yes dear.

Loved? – Dearly.

OOooOO

"I don't know what you want me to say Dean, it sounds like an average haunting and I think we've for more important things to be doing right now than busting slimer." Sam snorted derisively from the passenger seat.

Dean automatically hid the grimace that came to his face, just like he'd done for the vast majority of his life up until the last couple years anyway. Ever since the Turnbull case when he came face to face with the origins of his own soul and the knowledge of the origins of Sam's everything changed, for both of them. _He's always been mine. Dad put him in my arms that night... and fifteen months before that... literally... dad's the one who did the horizontal bop but... he was MY son first, his soul was the first born of my own...shit I can't think about this right now... he needs something easy to start getting his mojo back... and we could both use the perk of a quick success._

"Come on Sammy, we can probably do this one with our eyes closed, a nice easy little haunting just to make sure we're back on top of our game y'know? Two days. One little weekend and it's not like we're the only ones looking for the bitch, Imdugud's been sniffing after her..."

"For millennia without catching her." Sam groused.

"Maybe he just didn't have the right incentive and now he does y'know?"

Sam's silence gave him hope. The younger man was no fool, he knew as well as Dean did that there was no way they would be able to face Lilith, especially if she was in full on momma-bitch mode if they weren't fully recuperated. It was likely that they might not be able to take her at all but they had to give themselves every advantage possible and that meant at the very least making sure they were healed from the wounds of their previous encounter. _When the time comes will he be able to...?_

"Dean..." the word came out a deflated protest, in fact a perfect reflection of his outlook on everything for the last week, ever since he'd come out from under the Asag's poison in the hospital. Dean couldn't pull him from his funk, Bobby couldn't, hearing from Laura's own lips that she was fine couldn't, and even reports of a solid lead from Imdugud couldn't. He was convinced this was the only way Sam was going to be able to start rebuilding his confidence and get back to his old self.

"Just trust me will ya Sammy?"

A shrug and a deep sigh later Sam slid down into the passenger seat leaning hard against the door, "Sure, whatever." then closed his eyes while the miles spooled out behind them.

OOooOO

_Maaaan... easy tiger..._ concern creased his brow as he reached out grasping Sam's shoulder lightly, startling him out of his nightmare after he parked the car. "Sam."

"Mm!?" the younger man blinked himself quickly awake and looked around, "We there?"

"Yeah we're here." Dean nodded and turned to look him in the eye. He frowned as Sam's gaze darted away. "It's like your Jessica nightmares all over again Sam."

The younger man gave no reply.

Dean breathed deep, "None of it's your fault," he opened his door and slid part way out into the beautiful summer day, "if you want to talk I'll listen." then grabbed his bag out of the back seat and turned to face the old perfectly 'East Coast' structure.

"Kinda reminds me of the Pierpont," Sam noted at his side.

"Believe it or not, it kinda reminds me of that place in Louisiana..." he stopped and cocked his head at his little brother, "Wow," he breathed.

"What? What place in Louisiana?"

Dean smirked easily and shook his head, "It was while you were in college... man how many lifetimes ago was that?" he asked as they moved up the six steps to the front veranda.

Sam shrugged and smiled tightly, "How many times have either of us died in the last 5 years?"

"Too many..." the older man shook his head then smiled warmly at the receptionist, "Dean Murphy and Sam Diamond, I called this morning."

She was a pretty but anemic looking pale blonde who'd mastered the art of the dazzling smile and somehow demure but downstairs-brain-stirring flirt.

"Of course, you wanted the room with the ghost."

"That's right," Dean returned almost able to feel Sam's look of surprise, "We love a good haunting."

"So are you guys ghost hunters? Like the show?"

Dean leaned in conspiratorially and gave his best 'aw shucks' shrug, "We're location scouts for show in pre-production called Ghost Facers." then flashed his old 'prowling' grin.

"Really?" her dove blue eyes lit up and a hint of color touched her cheeks, "I could show you _all _the most haunted spots, not just here at the hotel but there's plenty of them around town... back in the 1700's there was a huge ... well okay maybe not huge but there was a really big battle with the redcoats, they practically slaughtered our side and the whole town is just crawling with ghosts!"

"Really? he nodded then shared a look of commiseration with Sam who played along, nodding as if he was impressed.

Dean scanned her up and down, his eyes lighting on her stuffed, padded, and pushed-up chest where her name tag shone in brass colored plastic, 'Julie'.

"Well then Julie, we just might have to take you up on that... but first thing's first..." he signed the credit card slip then slid it back to her, sweeping her fingers with his while behind him Sam rolled his eyes.

"Right, your room...everything is set up just the way you asked." She blushed again and pointed to the single elevator that had obviously been recently constructed, "Just follow the placards on the walls, the 'hail Mary' suite looks out over an old battle field toward the left and a local cemetery just over the hill to the right, behind the outdoor pool."

"'Hail Mary suite'?" Sam asked.

She nodded, "Legend has it, the first time a guest ever saw the ghost all she would do was sit there with her rosary and say her 'Hail Mary's' until the doc finally put her down with a hefty shot of heroin."

"Heroin?" Dean asked frowning.

"Well back then people used it as a cure-all," she started excitedly.

"It was sold right over the counter in your local general stores." Sam finished his voice somewhere between testy and exhausted.

"Really?" Dean asked picking up his bag again then turning to Julie with a wink and a smile, "Could you be a luv and have a listing of some of those local sites ready for me around dinner time? It'd be great to get a feel for where we're gonna need to be shooting."

"Sure." She lit up again.

"Thanks," he turned striding toward the elevator oddly tired of the game already.

"How're you holding up?" he asked once they were shut into the car.

"Beat."

"Good."

Sam turned, spocking his eyebrow at his big brother as the door opened and they stepped into the hallway.

"Yep good, then I made the perfect arrangement."

"Yeah what's that about? What did you do Dean?"

"You trust me Sammy?"

They halted just outside the door, "Dude if you got hookers in there..." Sam started.

Dean pulled back pretending to be shocked, "No way... this is even better."

Sam shook his head, "Whatever it is, if it's not about busting the ghost you go right ahead, count me out."

Dean keyed open the door into the suite's anteroom where a massage table was set up with a young woman sitting on it talking with another woman.

Sam leaned forward his eyes drawn to the bedroom where another table was set up.

"Hi," the older woman greeted cheerfully, "I'm Diane, this is Becky. Julie told us you wanted to get going right away but if you want a little time to unpack or something we can go get coffee."

Dean shook his head then grinned at his little brother, "You still want out?"

"Excuse us a second," Sam grabbed him by the upper arm, dragging him around the corner into the bedroom where he whispered tightly, "Dean tell me this isn't some twisted little 'happy ending' thing you got..."

"Dude... these are REAL masseuses... nothing hinky I swear... look if that was the game I'da called Kitsune and had her waiting here for you... this... just a little R&R Sam... we both deserve it." the elder Winchester insisted easily reading his little brothers uncertainty. "I promise just a little rest and recuperation." He glanced back out into the front room, "You want yours in here or out there?"

Sam half frowned, "I'm not taking any chances on walking out into anything... I'll take the front room. Just try to keep the noise down."

Dean frowned and huffed as Sam turned to head back out, "It's not that kind of massage," then shot a grin to the older woman, "We're set..."

OOooOO

"Sounds like Mr. Diamond's sawing some wood out there." Diane's voice smiled.

Dean chuckled reveling in the feel of her hands on the back of his neck, stretching the muscles there while pushing against his shoulder, "Mmm, I hear 'im. Does Becky have to wake him?" he murmured.

"Uh uh, tables belong to the hotel he can sleep as long as he wants."

"Good," he sighed, "He needs it."

"So what happened here?" she asked lightly tapping some of the bright pink scar tissue on his chest.

"We were checking out a site a couple weeks ago and crossed a bear, we both got hit pretty bad...lucky to be alive."

"Wow..."

"Yeah," he nodded. There was a faint smile pulling at the corners of his mouth while her warm thumbs smoothed the lines from his forehead, "He got it worse than I did though, still tires out real quick."

She touched one of the pink points on his chest again, "Whoever sewed you up did nice work, give it a couple years you'll barely see the scars."

"Mm too bad... chicks dig scars." He muttered sounding very much like he was about to drift off to sleep as well. She chuckled but made no reply as her eyes fell to the ruby-tinged ring on the fourth finger of his left hand.

From somewhere a long ways away he felt those warm strong hands slide into his hair with a gentle tug while a soothing voice said something about going to sleep and getting some rest. Then on the other side of his eyelids the light abruptly went out, something warm and comfortably heavy was draped over him and from the other room Sam's soft snores meant 'home'.

OOooOO

"Y'look better." Dean appraised the young man as he stepped out of the bathroom, "How do you feel?"

"They got one of those 32 jet showers in there... between that and the massage... almost human," Sam smiled loosely and just sat taking a moment on the edge of his king sized bed. "How 'bout you?"

"Rested, recreated and ready for hunting." He smiled relieved to hear some of the stress gone from his little brother's voice.

"I gotta hand it to ya Dean, that was a great idea."

"Hey, who knows hedonism better than me huh?"

"So Laura suggested it huh?"

Dean nodded, "Yep, woman knows what she's talking about. I was leaning toward getting you plastered and leaving you alone with some Latin Spice for the night." He grinned.

Sam nodded, "Glad you went with her idea," he said softly barely sweeping his eyes up to his brothers, _"You have fathered the murderer of the world."_ he wondered if he'd ever stop hearing Lilith's sneering voice, _"his child has been slain and ours will rule the heavens and the earth. You will be worshipped forever, revered as the sire whose son destroyed the human plague."_ A shudder stormed through him though he hid it with a quick pop of his neck before rising to get dressed. _He was inside my head... does he know?_

Casting a curious glance at the younger man Dean started the process of dragging his little brother out of his own head, "So I did some research... seems our little Julie is either a victim of mis-information... or just towing the tourist party line..."

"About this place being haunted?" Sam asked pulling on his freshest pair of jeans.

"And about the town too, I couldn't find a damned thing about any battles between unions or confederates let alone colonists and redcoats. The town wasn't even founded until 1794. Now there WERE Indian burial grounds within the town limits so it's not a total bust..."

"Any violent deaths in the hotel or on the property?" Sam asked.

"Not that I could find on the computer."

"Hall of records here we come."

Dean nodded, "That and I did a sweep with the EMF, there's a couple hot spots down by the pools, and a I felt a couple cold spots out toward the cemetery."

"How long have you been up?" Sam asked incredulous.

"Just a couple hours... slept like a log though."

"Yeah... out like a light."

"I heard." Dean ribbed good naturedly.

Sam stretched forward, grabbing the gold globes on the pillow of his bed and tossing one to Dean.

"Aw man these are awesome!" he grinned stuffing one of the specialty candies into his mouth.

"Yeah they are," Sam nodded relishing his own, "So how do you wanna work this?"

As they headed out into the early evening, Dean with his list of haunted places in town and a map, and Sam with directions to the town hall each seemed to step a little more lightly, some of the weight of their burdens conspicuously absent.

OOooOO

tbc.

please R&R

Thank You.

sifi


	2. Chapter 2

Downtime – chpt 2.

by: sifi.

OOooOO

Sam stood with his back pressed firmly to the side of the building as a Native American warrior gave chase against a retreating warrior from a different tribe. An arrow shot past him as the death echo was played out and the two images dissipated.

"It's a pretty regular thing this time of day during the summer," a gravelly voice chuckled from a doorway behind him. "I tend to get out of the way too just cause it's kinda creepy otherwise."

"Yeah," Sam nodded turning to the old man, "Sam Diamond," he introduced himself.

"Wally Banks." He grinned as they shook hands. Across the street a digital camera clicked.

"I don't suppose you'd have time to help me out a bit would you?"

"Boy all I got is time... and caretakin' this place is a lonely job... at least till August when we get the last rush of tourists to the town." He held open the door inviting Sam inside the cozy little building that looked out onto the bulk of an Historical park.

OOooOO

_Come ON... show yourself you son of a bitch!_ Dean scowled closing his phone. _At least THAT'll go right._ His senses were keen and on hyper alert as he continued his walk slowly through the old playhouse. _It's not like it's the Ford theater... sheesh..._ in his hand the EMF meter was jumping and the closer he got to the apron of the stage and the footlights the louder it squealed.

_Okay so in 1894, on the centennial anniversary of the town's founding the theater goes up in smoke, kills over thirty patrons and most of the cast that was trapped on stage when the one of the drapes caught fire on the footlight... perfect place for a death echo haunting... but that ain't what's got my short hairs at attention... some one? Some thing? Is still following me. C'mon you bastard lemme get a look at cha..._

He'd noticed it first not too long after passing through the cemetery and wondered if maybe some spirit there had latched onto him but even if that was the case it should have either shown itself by now or been drawn back to where it belonged.

A shiver worked its way up his spine and once more he turned in place, wheeling around with the flashlight in the hopes of catching sight of it. But again, there was nothing.

He made his way back stage and as he did the faint sound of a single set of applause gradually grew into the sound of a crowd clapping. He peered out from behind the curtains into the audience where nearly a hundred men and women dressed to the nines sat primly in the chairs, their faces carefully delighted as a woman dressed in regal costuming moved through him from behind.

"Shit!" he huffed taken by surprise as the players hit their marks on the stage and the curtain began to rise.

"Shhh," the woman hissed scowling at him before turning her attention to the play.

_The play's the thing..._ he thought leaning against the wall, watching the entertainment unfold as it had that night.

_Do we see them so much more than anyone else cause we're open to it and they somehow know? Or ... would this be going on if no one was here at all? If a tree falls in the forest yadda yadda yadda... _

In the middle of the third act flames engulfed the stage and people were trampled in their race for the exits as the theater went up like a tinderbox. Dean watched it all his hackles still at attention as he sighed sorrowfully for the lives lost before their time. "Never even got to finish the play, it was just getting good too." He muttered aloud letting himself out the back door and into the rapidly darkening lavender of dusk.

"How far'd you get?" Sam asked falling into step at his side as he reached the park bench where the younger Winchester had been watching the sun set.

"About halfway through the list... you ever heard of The Training of the Shrew?" he asked.

"The Taming of the Shrew," Sam corrected with a smile, "Yeah, it's a classic why?"

"How's it end?" Dean asked.

Sam's surprise was easily read, "Really?"

"Yeah... I mean dude if a guy did that kind of crap to a chick these days she'd kill him, did she really fall for it? For him?" he asked.

Sam nodded smiling curiously, "Uh... yeah... she did, finally."

"Happily ever after?" Dean asked.

"Pretty much. Why are you..."

"I was watching it at the theater, it went up in smoke about halfway through the third act... it was just getting interesting." Dean shook his head, "I can't imagine any girl putting up with that shit."

"Consider the times Dean, women were possessions, given less consideration than horses or dogs."

"Mmm."

Sam smiled easily but kept his eyes forward, "You miss her huh?"

"Yeah."

"_Dean, Lilith did attack her... she was..." God I can't even THINK it, no wonder I can't say it... son of a bitch! _

"When's she figure she's gonna be home?"

Dean shook his head, "No telling... as soon as she finds the guys that are trying to kill the Acolyte." He shrugged, "Okay back to business... Death echoes all over the place... you?"

"Yep. Haven't seen an actual ghost yet... you?"

"Uh uh... Oh! I did get the feeling I was being followed once I left the cemetery though... all the way through the playhouse... you get anything like that?"

"Yeah a couple times. By the cemetery, through the hall of records until I got close to the museum by the historical park then it dissipated. " Sam nodded, "And I talked with this guy, Wally Banks, he's a daytime caretaker over at the historical park, seems to know a little more than the average joe about supernatural stuff. He says most of the actual ghosts were settlers that were killed in Indian raids or got in the way when they were Counting Coup."

"What'd you find out about the hotel?"

"Just the same stuff you'd find with any old hotel, seriously a couple suicides, slashed wrists, hangings, there have been a couple murders over infidelities, average stuff."

"I wonder if we'll see anything tonight." Dean shrugged, "Hey y'know there's an awesome spa downstairs, indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, weight room... we could get a workout with real weights instead of digging up corpses."

Sam stopped abruptly, his face twisted in complete confusion, "Are you _possessed_?"

_Mm the jig's up, _"What?" he asked hoping to come off innocent.

"We're supposed to be hunting here Dean, not... oh man..." Sam groaned and rolled his head on his shoulders before leaning questioningly into his big brother's hand-in-the-cookie-jar grin.

"Whaaaaaat!?" Dean shrugged, "We deserve the break Sam! And YOU need to recover!"

"This whole thing is a setup."

"Not the WHOLE thing." Dean half whined, "There's ghosts and death echoes... and the hotel's on a cemetery... AND our suite _is_ supposed to be haunted y'know."

"Dean! For the love of God we've got an ancient succubus out there somewhere gestating the murderer of the WORLD spawned from ME! Are you THAT screwed in the head!?" Sam hollered angrily drawing a few curious looks from other guests strolling the grounds.

Deep in the shadows of a nearby alley another digital picture was taken.

Dean hastily glanced left and right then with a hand in the center of his little brother's back guided the younger man into a gazebo on the hotel's front lawn, "Siddown!" He ordered once again feeling his hackles on end.

"We don't have time for this..." Sam started to protest.

"Shut up and listen to me, I KNOW how you feel."

Sam shook his head, "No you don't."

"Yes I _do_ Sam, your nightmares for the last week let alone while you were out of it in the hospital... I heard you. I heard that bitch make you beg!" he hissed furiously, "I heard every cry and whimper that..." he gritted his teeth and with a deep breath collected himself, "but you gotta understand one thing little brother, we will NEVER win against this bitch if we don't make sure we're at the top of our game and if that means taking a little time out for a couple massages and some jacuzzi lounging then goddamnit that's what we're gonna do and better to do it NOW than when she's close to popping that puppy out. Do you understand me?"

Sam studied his shoes, "I miss Kitsune." he mumbled.

Dean dropped a hand onto the younger man's shoulder, "She'll be here around supper time. It was supposed to be a surprise."

The younger hunter's eyes leaped up latching onto his big brothers', "What the hell makes you think I'm open to seeing her?"

"I know when you're _thinking _about breaking wind, let alone when you need the comfort of a good woman, especially one who wouldn't even THINK of judging you. Now, will you please, _please_ Sam... just try to relax a little here?"

The younger hunter sighed still examining his shoes, "How much did you see?" he asked.

Dean sat down beside him, leaning forward, gazing at the plankboard floor of the gazebo, "Not much," he lied, "Mostly it was what I heard. Every now and again there were glimpses, light and shadow y'know?"

Sam nodded.

"Look, whatever it is you're holding onto... you gotta let it go. If you keep chewing on it, it's gonna choke you." He shook his head, "I _do _get it if it's not something you can talk to me about, I really do." He assured the younger man.

Sam turned his head, barely daring a glance at his big brother but knowing there were some things they might never be able to talk with each other about. The revelation left a sore spot deep inside even as he nodded his understanding.

"And if that's the case, then maybe it's something you _can _talk through with Kitsune. I promise you Sam, you will NEVER find another woman like her."

"Because _you_ commanded that she look after me."

Dean was taken aback, his expression belied his surprise as he elbowed the younger man, "Yeah I did, until Nergal was done with. After that I set her free."

Sam's brows furrowed as he gazed into his brother's face, "You..."

"No one can command a woman's heart, not a mortal woman or a kitsune's, loyalty yes, duty, yes... but not their heart you idiot."

"I thought..."

Dean shook his head, "I told her, 'when Nergal is defeated your debt is paid in full, you're free.' I swear to God Sam... after the battle was done she came back to you of her own accord, I thought you knew."

He shook his head, "She asked permission to continue to serve... I don't want a servant Dean, I don't want a concubine, I don't want someone who thinks they OWE me something or worse yet owes _you_ something..." he shook his head, "I want someone who..." he shrugged, "for who _I_ am, me, Sam Winchester... not for who sleeps inside my soul."

Dean nodded.

"Like what you've got." He nearly whispered.

"Look Sam, she came back to you because she _wanted _to. No man, no woman, no _thing _can command her again. Obviously she sees something in the man you are. I mean shit, she's coming to be with you tonight so what does that say?"

"You didn't..." his eyes betrayed his hope.

"I just asked if she wanted to join you for a night out... or in." Dean smirked.

Sam huffed and nodded before smiling and shaking his head.

"What?" Dean asked.

"You," he huffed again, "You _do _surprise me sometimes."

"That's cause I'm awesome," he clapped his little brother on the shoulder, "Now, let's go get some dinner, I wanna hit that jacuzzi and steam room before the game tonight."

OOooOO

"So we're really not gonna do anything about the haunting, I mean if there really IS one?" Sam asked searching through his bag yet again, "Have you seen my tie? The blue striped one?" he asked.

"Nuh uh," Dean shook his head grabbing one of the specialty candies off the top of a pyramid of them that had appeared on the nightstand while they were out.

"Looks like someone's got a crush going on," Sam nodded at the plate of goodies then smirked as Dean put the ball of chocolate back on top.

"Poor kid gonna miss out on all this," he joked digging through his bag, "so where are you gonna take her?"

"I dunno... it'll be nice to actually get a chance to talk, I mean all we do is have sex."

"Not a damn thing wrong with that," the elder man smiled and scratched his head, "huh?"

"What?"

"I coulda swore I put the ribbed rubbers in here but all I can find are the studded ones."

"DUDE!" Sam's grimace set off a barrage of snickers from his big brother.

"I can't find my pocket knife," he shrugged, "it's probably in my other jacket or in the car."

"You sure?" Sam asked motioning to the pyramid of goodies, "The massage tables are gone, there's that..."

"What you think someone...?"

"Maybe your crush is a little less Alicia Silverstone and more Glenn Close..."

Dean literally did a double take, "Since when are you the one who makes movie references?"

"What do you think I do when you're out ... polling the electorate."

"Research." Dean frowned, "And in case you haven't noticed... I'm a one woman man now alright."

Sam nodded with an easy smile taking his brother's point but cocked his eyebrow anyway, "But there's only so much research that _can _be done Dean."

The older man shrugged and seemed to think about it for a moment before shaking his head, "Nah.. come on Sam, she's a kid."

"Yeah," Sam nodded, "So was what's-her-face in Hard Candy."

"Hard Candy..." Dean thought then doubled over, "Oh God the one with the nuts! Geez Sam you gotta stop watching those indie things man... that's just sick!"

"Let's just go check the car."

"Yeah alright, I bet its in the ashtray."

OOooOO

"Or not." Sam shook his head looking around as Dean crouched, reaching just a bit under the driver door where it appeared the knife had fallen maybe when he got out of the car.

At the far corner of the building a shadow watched him pick up the item before retreating unseen.

A moment later Sam finished rummaging through the trunk.

"Did you find it?" Dean asked.

"Nuh uh, it's not in here."

"Maybe it's not me she's crushing on or maybe one of the ghosts took is so he could hang himself."

"Funny."

"Or maybe it wasn't with the suit when you had it cleaned and you just didn't notice it."

"Mmm." Sam frowned but didn't say anything else. Dean could be right though he doubted it. Something strange was going on and he was pretty sure that the desk clerk was at the heart of it.

The pocket knife was a perfect example. If it wasn't in Dean's pocket it was in the ash tray where he kept it when he was watching a place and caving to his obsessive compulsion to clean beneath his fingernails.

OOooOO

_Not Dean, not Dean, not Dean..._ she thought watching the beautiful Japanese woman drift with ethereal grace toward the two men. A sigh slid from her lips as Sam rose first to greet her followed by a far less intimate greeting from Dean. _Good!_

If everything went as planned she'd be just getting off shift by the time they were done with dinner, and from what she'd heard Dean was planning on hitting the jacuzzi this evening so that gave her plenty of time.

OOooOO

tbc.

Please R&R

Thanks,

sifi.

A/N: To all my American readers... Happy Thanksgiving and all the wish entails. To All my non-American readers, have a day full of blessings and love. And Thank You All.


	3. Chapter 3

Downtime – chpt 3.

by: sifi.

A/N – hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Just so y'all know... one of the many things I have to be thankful for is each and every one of you and your incredibly generous support and enthusiasm. So Thank You.

OOooOO

"You two crazy kids have fun now... don't stay out too late," Dean teased watching them walk arm in arm through the lobby and out into the night.

Back in their room he was still smiling, _they're a good match._ But still feeling oddly empty for a moment when he thought about the warmth of another body beside his, _s'okay, just makes things that much sweeter when she gets back. I hope she's recovering alright, I swear she gets stabbed like Sammy gets choked and I get tossed into walls. I'm glad it wasn't a complete impalement this time though. _

As he stripped out of his clothes and slid into the swim trunks he'd bought earlier this afternoon the hackles on his neck rose again and he wheeled around, "Y'know I might be able to help you rest if you'd show yourself." He offered and waited for a long moment while chewing his lip thoughtfully, "We're putting down salt tonight so if you got something t'say you'd better do it soon." He warned tossing a towel over his shoulder, smirking, "Ffft... talking to a ghost..." then headed down to the pool.

A flash of pale blonde caught his attention through the leaves of the plant at the corner of the jacuzzi and then a hint of powder blue on talc pale skin.

_Let's see if Sammy was right, _"Hi," he greeted tossing the towel on a chair, "Julie right?"

"You remembered," she smiled nodding.

"How's the water?" he asked stepping down into the roiling pool.

"Wonderful," she hummed leaning back and sinking up to her neck, her gaze trailing over his chest as he sat directly across from her.

"Wow..." she drawled languidly, "what happened there?" then sat up, covering a coy smile though her eyes never left his, "I'm sorry that was..."

Dean slid down into the water and smiled, "Mmm bear."

"A bear?" she perked up, her foot tapping against his, "sorry," she grinned grasping his foot between hers and rubbing it slowly. "a REAL bear?"

_Sam was right, she's crushing. _"No prob... and yeah..." he withdrew his foot from hers and angled his legs off to the side.

"Nice tat," she tried again, this time sliding all the way under the water and coming up in the middle, gliding a moment later to his side, "So... where'd you run across a bear?"

_Hmm, _Dean slid several feet away and came to a rest again, "Indian burial ground."

"Really?" She gasped sliding down the bench to him again, "Stuff like that is just fascinating don't you think?"

He slid away again and made big business of running his left hand through his hair and down his face. "Pays the bills."

She slid to him yet again, this time locking him between herself and the railing.

"Please don't." He asked gently.

Still, she leaned forward, this time her hands fell to his thighs and slid upward as she leaned toward him, giving him an easy view of her nearly non-existent cleavage.

"I could make you feel better."

Memories of similar lines he'd used since Mercy's first tutelage overlapped themselves through his mind, _how many times have I just 'made it go away'? How many times have I just taken _both _our minds off whatever it was that was on them? How did I not get slapped more than I did?_ He wondered placing his hands on her shoulders, "Look Julie you're a really sweet girl, and if the timing was anything different I'd be the one making the moves..."

"Is it your wife?" she asked perching on his lap and grasping his left hand out of the water, "'cause she'll never know." She half-pouted.

_Gotta be some kind of karmic payback..._ he nodded half frowning, "That's not how it works." He shook his head and stepped from the jacuzzi, drying himself off quickly and after dropping the towel over his shoulder again ducked his head to meet her eyes, "It's not you." He tried to console but there was something blank in her stare, something that felt dark behind her eyes. "Christo." he said instinctively and found himself both oddly relieved and genuinely unnerved by her expressionless countenance when she turned her still blue eyes back to him.

He wanted to apologize but couldn't. Instead his belly flipped over and he took a step backward. He continued to watch as she turned in the water, her head, her expression, her everything completely without emotion. _Well Elvis has left the building..._ his stomach crawled and his short hairs stood on end as he moved toward the elevator and once in it, got off on his floor, then doubled back down the stairs with every instinct screaming that something was about to go horribly wrong.

_Teach me to try and get us a little downtime... shit._ He thought approaching the jacuzzi again. Peering over the glass enclosure the water seemed to be just settling down and Julie was nowhere to be seen.

OOooOO

"What?" Sam asked as Kitsune stopped in her tracks and scanned the street up and down.

"We're being followed."

"Since the Ice Cream shop," he nodded turning her toward him and running a thumb down her gently sloping cheek, "and earlier today Dean thought something might have latched onto him for a little while." He smiled turning her gently and continuing to walk.

"Poltergeist you think?" She asked.

"He wasn't sure, he really didn't seem too worried about it though."

"That's because his mind is full of fear for you." She explained still scanning the street and sidewalk, trying to keep her tone conversational.

"I know he's worried."

"You are too my lord."

"Please don't call me that."

"Old habits die hard," she blushed, "what do you wish for me to call you then?"

He cocked his head and grinned, this time instead of just thumbing her cheek he levered her lips upward brushing them with his.

"As you wish..." she smiled demurely, "Sam."

"Good," he smiled, "Now that that's settled, how's about you give me a solid slap and head on back around that alley we just passed while I go..." his head whipped to the side and his cheek seemed to burst into flames as she yelled at him in Japanese and stormed back the way they'd come.

Sam shook his head and rubbed his cheek, "Ow," looking as if he was about to give chase, but then appearing to think better of it, waving his hand in frustration behind her while he continued on up the street.

OOooOO

"What the hell?" Dean muttered looking down into the words scrawled into the carpet, 'Get Out!' The stack of gold wrappers that made up the exclamation point at the end assured him the smeared writing was actually chocolate instead of what he'd first thought it might be. Several small flecks of white within the letters, _that's gonna be a bitch to get out, _caught his attention.

He crouched down and picked up one of the flecks, _what the hell?...is this? It is... it's a freakin' roofie..._ the closer he looked the more of them he saw until he'd picked no less than twenty whole pills and fragments from the carpeting.

"Now that is NOT funny..." he shook his head as the tv came on.

He could almost feel the muscles in his neck creak when he turned his head and found himself watching what appeared to be a security tape of himself changing into his trunks. A second later it was Sam in the shower, "Okay that's wrong..." he muttered averting his eyes until Sam had a towel wrapped around his hips. Next it was another shot of himself, this time taking a leak. "What the FUCK..." he snarled leaping to his feet, examining the walls and taking notice of any place a camera could have been hidden, in particular air vents.

Behind him the tv went crazy, switching channels, turning off and on over and over again, "Hold your horses!" he hollered standing on a chair to get a good look into the vent. Just as he stepped up however, the chair was whipped out from under him and across the room.

"Alright! Alright! I get it!" he snarled picking himself up and returning to the foot of the bed where he leaned forward watching another segment of tape that started with a woman seemingly passed out on the very same bed he'd chosen.

A sliver of yellow light grew into a slice just before a shadow moved through it and apparently closed the door. He realized a moment later that the newcomer was dressed in black, including a billed hat and that as they moved through the room they kept their face turned in the opposite direction from wall that separated the bedroom from the bathroom, exactly where he'd been looking just a moment ago.

He watched that black clad figure move directly to the bed and stand at the side for long moments just looking down at the woman. He noticed on the nightstand was a pyramid of those same specialty candies, only it appeared that a couple of them were gone.

"Son of a bitch..." he snarled quietly unable to tear his eyes away from the screen.

The newcomer reached out, snatching the woman's ankles in his hands. A moment later she was on her back, still largely unconscious though her head moved back and forth in protest as her clothing was removed.

"Aw come ON I don't wanna see this!" Dean protested but remained on the edge of the bed, sole witness to the last breaths of an innocent life stolen.

When she was naked the newcomer bound the woman's hands and feet with a pair of panty hose from her own luggage, then stuffed a pair of underwear into her mouth, gagging her with yet another pair of hose.

He watched as the woman on the bed began to come around and as realization dawned on features that twisted with fear and certain knowledge.

"Okay, okay I get it... just point me to the remains and you'll be free okay..." he got up and checked the built in video tape and dvd slots on the console, then checked around back for any secondary wiring that could indicate a separate signal source.

"One way to check if this is legit or some sick bastard's idea of a joke..." he muttered unplugging the set and unscrewing the coaxial cable from its jack in the back.

"Son of a bitch..." he groaned taking a glance at the screen which now showed the newcomer in the act of raping the woman while a gleaming blade lay against her throat. "Come ON! Shut OFF...Please!" He looked around the room hoping to see something hoping to see anything that could replace the grotesquery that was playing out. "I don't want to see this!" he turned away picking up the chair again and bringing it back to the air duct that seemed to be where the camera was hidden.

Pressure clasped from all around him, literally throwing him across the room into the desk until he slid to the floor. _Can't...breathe..._ the crushing force pressed hard against him like a truck backing him against the wall as he was dragged across the floor and pinned to the foot of the bed, his head held firm at the angle necessary for him to watch whatever the ghost needed him to see.

"Don't make me watch this please!" _I don't want to see this... I can't watch another person go through that... please! _He barked weakly as the pressure eased off and air flowed easily into his lungs. "Alright alright..." he reached for the computer bag, "C'mon Sammy have something in here..." he pulled a CD from the bag and ripped it open before lurching to the TV set again. He plugged it back in but didn't re-connect the coaxial. "You really want something done about this... you better burn this baby..." he slid the disc into the player. No sooner than the drawer slid shut the letters 'REC' appeared on the screen and Dean was slightly more gently forced back to the foot of the bed.

Whoever the presence had been would not let him turn away or close his eyes or move, and in just another couple moments, breathing hard and fighting the mist that was building over his eyes he understood why.

When the newcomer was finished raping the woman he stayed, lounging and tormenting her, never once even glancing toward the camera as that blade was used to slice and shave off bits of skin while she flailed and bucked soundlessly, trying to escape the torment until blood loss alone finally set her free.

As the body was cut into manageable pieces and taken somewhere off screen the scene continued to play out. When he thought there could be nothing more the psychopath returned once more and set to work stripping the bed.

"What the hell?" He asked leaning forward, peering intensely into the screen as the man removed what looked like a plastic sheet, bundling it carefully up and taking it into the bathroom where he washed the blood meticulously from it, dried it and replaced it on the bed before putting on a new set of sheets and spread. As a final insult, the woman's belongings were packed and the shadow could be seen leaving the room with two suitcases in hand.

"Oh God..." he breathed when the images now burned into his brain finally faded to black on the tv screen. "Son of a bitch."

He turned realizing the pressure was gone and threw back the bedspread then lifted up the flat and fitted sheets. Chills went through him as he felt the elastic of a plastic liner beneath it all.

Again, the tv screen illuminated only this time a husband and wife entered the room laughing and appearing to have a great time, until they went for the pyramid of candies on the night table between the beds.

"Oh God...no..." he shook his head compelled to watch this travesty unfold as well.

"What the hell did he do with the bodies?" he muttered almost an hour later as a fourth murder was committed, each of them sexually assaulted whether male or female. The next one however was different.

The floor in the room in the fifth scene was scrawled exactly as his was, the words "Get Out!" pressed into the carpeting, except this time it was directly on the edge of the rise the beds were on rather than right at the front door like it was for him.

It was another couple that entered. The woman pointed to the warning and they appeared to start arguing, the woman packed her bag, the man snatched it back, she grabbed it again, the tension between the couple was palpable despite being soundless, but apparently after a couple more back and forth's the woman left and he let her.

He flopped onto the bed with the remote in hand and after a moment of channel surfing and obvious confusion he leaned forward, then moved to the tv going through almost exactly the same motions Dean had nearly two hours ago now.

"C'mon... get the hell out of there..." Dean urged as the man stripped down to his shorts and slid into the bed, "Don't be stupid!"

He tossed and turned for a while until the door opened and that sliver of light became another pie wedge.

Seconds later he leaped out of bed as the psycho stalked toward him, the woman barely conscious in his grip as he used her as a control over the man. The woman slipped from the psycho's grip and the man took his opportunity to pounce.

Dean was able to watch a fair amount of the fight before the camera shook and seemed to tilt, taking the bedroom out of the equation and angling out toward the anteroom of the suite.

"Well what the hell good is that... come on..." he groaned needing to know what was happening, what _had_ happened.

Before long he had his answer as the psycho in black carried severed pieces out into the anteroom but didn't turn to the right where the door out into the hall was, but instead turned left and disappeared behind a separation.

"Son of a bitch!" He leaped to his feet charging out into the anteroom.

OOooOO

"Yeah Chuck what's up?" Julie huffed striding into the main monitoring station for hotel security.

The late thirty-something man tapped a monitor numbered 12. "I saw you got shot down in the jacuzzi." he smirked then tapped the monitor again, "Hail Mary Hallway's out again..."

"We were just talking Chuck."

"Looked a little more like a grayhound going for that hare if you ask me..."

"Well I didn't, besides, the guy's got a wife." She turned the monitor off and on a couple times then checked the wiring behind it.

"Maybe you wouldn't get shot down if you actually went for guys that aren't attached." He huffed looking up at her, "You know there are some non-hollywood types that would love to get their hooks into a girl like you."

With her hands on her hips she huffed and rolled those pale blue dove's eyes, "Yeah and you're just the type to show me the error of my ways I suppose. I told you I don't date guys I work with."

"Fill out the maintenance requisition and put in the call to Joey." She shook her head exiting the security room.

"'I don't date guys I work with...'" he mocked, "No just the ones you work FOR... you know what THAT says don't cha?" he muttered.

OOooOO

Moments later on a flat screen monitor the access security menu appeared with 'HMH' highlighted in red. It was accessed but the words 'Off Line' flashed on the bottom of the screen. The cursor moved back to 'HMH' and a right click window was opened. The cursor highlighted 'HMS – Bed' and clicked. On the screen Dean lay on his bed sprawled out on his tummy apparently channel surfing. On the night table between the beds the candy pyramid was missing several chocolates. The right-click window opened again and this time 'HMS – Bath' was highlighted and clicked. The bathroom appeared empty.

The feed switched back to the bedroom for several long moments before the security menu was exited and the desktop returned to normal.

OOooOO

tbc.

Please R&R.

Thanks.

sifi


	4. Chapter 4

Downtime – chapter 4

by: sifi.

OOooOO

Every one of his senses was on high alert as he rounded the corner of the building, the brick pressing warm and scratchy into his back. Footsteps scraped on the cement as he wheeled into the alley his eyes scanning the long varying shadows for anything living, dead, or undead.

Another scuttle caught his attention and a gray blur of something passed through the upper rim of his vision. _Pigeon..._ he thought frowning as his cell vibrated.

"Yeah?" he answered watching a slim red ochre colored fox trot into the alley where it stopped and gazed up at him for a moment.

He shook his head as the vixen turned in a circle fast enough to look like a red blur before her shape quickly lengthened and Kitsune stood beside him, her head cocked to the side while he frowned deeply listening to his brother on the other end of the line.

"Are you kidding? We're on our way, don't do anything till we get there Dean... No! Nothing!" He listened a moment, "D...Dean... No! Promise! Dean PROMISE... we'll be there in ten minutes. Okay... just sit tight."

"What's wrong?" she asked as he strode like quicksilver out of the alley.

"Dean found... there's a spirit at the hotel..." he started.

"There are many. Did you not sense them?" She asked breaking into an easy loping jog that spurred him to do the same.

"I barely even notice the igigi anymore... there's too much more going on that's a lot more important." He huffed as they rounded the corner toward Lee Street looking more as if they were out for a jog rather than as a couple who were supposed to be having a semi-casual evening out.

"Is it the same thing that preys so heavily on you both?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"It's your offspring isn't it?" She asked shocking the young man into a skidding stop.

He turned gazing down into her eyes, his pain and expression incredulous. He tried to answer a couple times but his throat wouldn't cooperate so instead he simply nodded.

She reached up with a soft smile on her lips and cradled his cheek watching his eyes fill suddenly as his lips trembled. With ease and tenderness she drew his mouth to hers.

"Of course I know," she answered his unspoken question, "though there are surprisingly few who do. If many of her enemies knew, there'd be no stopping the hunt for her. I can think of only one who MAY actually want her to bear this child... though I doubt even he would take such a risk."

Sam cocked his head to the side, "Who?"

She half smiled, cocking her eyebrow at him expectantly.

"You don't mean..." he shook his head, "not... Lucifer..."

"Of course that's who I mean, if he thought he could use the child as a vessel into which _he_ could be born he might allow _it_ to be born. But I have heard many tales of Lilitu's treachery through the ages and I do not believe she..." she stopped and made sure to choose her words carefully, not wanting to say something hurtful to one of the men who'd been so kind to her, "has done what she has for anyone's welfare but her own." She shook her head and stroked his face, hoping to erase the lines and bunches that announced the arrival of yet another burden. "There will be time to talk about this later, for now you are needed here."

Wordless and obviously preoccupied he nodded, "Right." As a moment later they strode into the hotel, their expressions carefully adjusted as they smiled and moved nonchalantly to the elevator.

OOooOO

Dean paced the anteroom then strode to the bedroom and checked the tv where the screen showed him lounging on the bed, several chocolates gone from the pyramid that no longer existed, and several empties from the bar on the night table and on the bed.

"Good... just keep it up Casper Sammy'll be here in no time." He muttered pacing again back out into the anteroom where his eyes fell to the closet on the left hand wall.

The doors were folded open and all appeared as it should but for a heavy line of plaster and dust on the floor on the inner right hand wall.

"Oh man..." he turned wheeling to the main door and whipping it open just as Sam's hand was about to slide the key card into the slot, "Finally! Where the hell have you been?" he demanded, "Hi Kitsune."

"My Lord." She half bowed.

He grabbed Sam's arm, ushering them both inside and closing the door securely behind them, "Call me Dean." He corrected absently while dragging his little brother across the anteroom to the closet.

"What is it Dean what's going on?" He asked as the older man slid the long end of a wire hangar between the edge of the wall safe and the wall itself, then gave a sharp jerk.

"You are NOT gonna believe this you guys..." he grunted giving a sharp tug on the metal which brought that side of the safe away from the wall and gave him a solid grip.

"Is this where..."

"Yeah." He grunted.

"Move over lemme help."

"I got it Sam, you don't need to take any chances."

"Dean..." even his voice was scowling, enough so that Dean stopped trying to jimmy the heavy alloy cube out of the wall.

"Fine," he slid into the closet grasping the far side of the thing while Sam got a handle on the nearest. He didn't want the younger man overtaxing himself, but Sam wouldn't be coddled and he could at the very least respect that, especially with Kitsune there.

"The spirits are running interference for you Dean?" She asked, her voice coming from the bedroom area.

"Looks like... I'm guessing it's all tied in with a surveillance camera in the air duct in the wall between the bedroom and the bathroom." He explained as they eased the safe from the wall and set it down in the middle of the closet floor.

"Oh my GOD!" Sam gasped, slapping his hand over his nose and mouth as the odor wafted up to him through the hole. "How long...?"

Dean shook his head, "Had to be fairly recent or the stench wouldn't be so bad."

"The bodies are stuffed into the wall!?" the younger brother half demanded, his face betraying his disgust.

"Oh yeah... dude you have no freakin' clue... course I only have whatever clues he, she... uh... whatever... showed me... God only knows how many others there are or were..." he shook his head, something in his expression setting off alarm bells in Sam's guts.

The diminutive woman stood beside her lover for a moment, her immortally perceptive gaze taking in every nuance in the older brother's face just as easily as she could feel the change in pitch when Sam's level of tension changed. She stepped forward expecting the young avatar to do exactly as he did when he laid a gently restraining hand on her arm.

She turned, favoring him with a kind smile of gratitude, and as she knew he would he released her. _He is a being to be treasured. I will kill her for the hurt she has brought him, brought them BOTH._ She thought as she peered into the columnar space between the closet wall and the building's outer wall.

"Flashlight please?" She asked.

A moment later she turned with a faint frown bowing her mouth, "The wall penetrates at least by one level into the ground and there are pieces that have spilled over. I think there's luggage down there too."

Dean nodded, he'd seen it too once the smell dissipated enough for him to really get a good look.

"Which explains why you sensed so many spirits." Sam nodded taking and pocketing the flashlight she returned to him. He glanced between the woman and his big brother, "This is your trip and your find Dean... how do you want to handle it?" he asked.

Dean shook his head and shrugged, his expression not just blank but genuinely open, "I don't know... we don't _do _people Sam..."

"I know," he nodded remembering just a couple weeks ago when Dean had said the same thing to him after he'd nearly beat a man to death while under the influence of a drug made from the venom of an Asag.

"These people deserve justice."

Sam pursed his mouth and glanced over his shoulder into the room, "No..." he shook his head knowing his brother well enough to know he had something insanely dangerous planned, like using himself as a decoy.

Dean turned the younger man around and led him back to the bedroom, then stationed him at the edge of the bed exactly where he'd been held captive and forced to watch it all, "Convince him." He commanded to the open air then watched the screen change as the first woman was once more shown face down on the bed.

"What're you doing? No... Dean... lemme up... Don't..." Sam struggled against the supernatural hold on him while Dean returned to the anteroom shaking his head, "I can't watch it again Sammy... I'm sorry."

"Oh God... No... no no no ... DEEEEAAAANNN!" Sam's voice trembled from the bedroom a moment later, "Please...stop..."

"Hoshit..." Dean lurched off the sofa and dashed to the bedroom, the connection hitting him hard, it was painful enough for _him_ to have watched what happened to his little brother so recently, but it was Sam who'd actually _endured_ it... and here he was forcing him to watch someone else's violation. "Okay, okay let him go... we're gonna help you!" he ordered crouching in front of the younger man, blocking his view from the set. "I'm sorry Sam...I'm sorry, I didn't think..." he shook his head grabbing the young man by the face and looking deep into his eyes, "Sammy?"

As the entity released him he grabbed his big brother at the shoulder, letting the older man help him to his feet, "S'okay, it's okay, I'm alright..." his eyes flicked to the set which had returned to showing phantasmic footage of Dean starting to settle in for the night. He gulped for air and forced himself to at the very least appear calm. The easiest way to do that was to keep his hands clenched and inside his pockets so Dean couldn't see them shaking.

"So you really wanna do this?" He asked a moment later, after he collected himself though his brows were still furrowed deep with worry.

Dean nodded, "I can't let it slide... I can't just..." he motioned helplessly to the tv, "... and do _nothing _y'know?... I can't."

Slowly the youngest Winchester nodded, "I know." Then met eyes with Kitsune who looked from one to the other and nodded a solid affirmation that whatever they chose to do, she would be there with them. "Pretty straight forward plan then?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded, "That's the best kind."

OOooOO

As soon as Sam was able to ensure that he had a stable feed from the camera in the wall, to his laptop, he and Kitsune retreated a few doors down the hall where they holed up in a linen closet while awaiting Dean's attacker.

"I don't like this," Sam muttered then glanced at the woman, "He's not at the top of his game right now... no matter what he wants us to think, he's no more healed up than I am."

He couldn't help but lean into the gentleness of her touch as her hand stroked deep into his waves.

"Please," she spoke softly.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Let yourself see the _possibility_ of light even if you cannot see the light itself."

Sam felt his chest hitch and shudder quietly, his brother's 'sleep' routine a familiar sight even on the computer screen. "I've never felt like this before," he admitted softly, unable for the moment to look into her eyes. A breath later he turned letting the droplets shine on his cheeks, "For almost six years now I've known that there are entities out there that have been trying to bend me to mold me or use me for their own ends. For about the last three years I've known there was something they were all terrified of awakening inside me, something they were afraid _I'd_ learn to control,"

"The power of your origin." She nodded.

"Yeah... I didn't know about Dean... his connection seems so much more... normal, so much more natural, somehow they seem to have overlooked it, and in a way _him_ y'know? But this... what she has planned...and all I can think is..." he shook his head.

"Why you?"

He nodded squeezing his eyes shut, "Why me?" he gasped.

"There is no shame in what you feel." She stroked his head, pressing his temple down to her forehead.

Sam shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried with every shaking breath to hold himself in check, "I'm so scared..." he quaked as her arms closed around him, neither of them heard the lock on the door turn.

OOooOO

Dean lay sprawled on his stomach, his arms curled around the pillow his breathing even and restful, almost hypnotic. On any other night the very rhythm would have had him long since asleep. As the minutes marched on, stretching forward, reaching toward morning he began to doze.

His heartbeat picked up and his senses came to full alert with the feeling that someone else was in the room.

Soft footsteps pressed into the carpeting as he lay still, forcing his body to stay relaxed, forcing his breathing to continue to be even.

Chills ran up his spine when the footsteps stopped. He could feel the weight of the killer's eyes pressing him down onto the mattress.

_Sammy's right down the hall... God this is uncomfortable... is this how it felt for him? And no one's even touching me..._

He fought the startle that hit when those hands grasped his ankles, _hold on, just hold on..._ he kept his grip on the pillow as those hands slid him down the bed a bit then flipped him onto his back. His right hand remained under the pillow as the hands left him.

The footsteps came to the side of the bed, the mattress depressed with substantial weight and a moment later one of those hands came to rest on his forehead. He knew what was coming next and wasn't about to risk an eye when this son of a bitch checked for pupil response.

"Can we talk?" He sneered pressing his gun up under the man's chin. The killer moved his left hand toward his back, silver flashed in an arc as Dean's legs came up, his feet jacked into the man's chest and sent him flying across the room and into the wall.

The eldest Winchester was up in a flash striding out into the anteroom toward that black clad lump. The knife remained held loosely in his hand until Dean kicked it away then crouched before him grasping him by the shirtfront.

"Come ooooon you sick pathetic shit..." he snarled whipping the hat aside and finding himself staring into a set of dark colored very dazed eyes deep in a balding face he wasn't sure he'd ever seen before.

"You never should have done it. You shouldn't have made her feel that way." He reprimanded while shaking his head.

"Shuddup!" Dean ordered giving a 'thumbs up' and a nod to the camera in the wall before grabbing the hemp rope Sam had brought out of the trunk earlier.

OOooOO

Sam nodded relieved to see his big brother's goofy grin and 'thumbs up' signal. He wrapped his arm around Kitsune, holding her easily against him as he dialed his cell. Reveling in the moment of security and peace that came when she wrapped her arms around his slender waist and rested her ear against his chest smiling easily at the sound of his heartbeat, he sighed gratefully.

"911 Operator what is the nature of your emergency?" came a velvety male voice.

"I'm at the Hampshire in the Hail Mary suite... I just caught some bastard sneaking into my room I think he was trying to kill me!" he breathed almost desperately into the phone then flipped it closed with a smile, the operator's voice asking for a name before it cut out.

"Let's go," he smiled falling into her kiss at the same instant the room echoed with an explosive blast of compressed gas and cold white smokiness shot through the vent in the ceiling, stealing the very air from his lungs.

"What the...?!" he looked up into the unmistakable stream of fire extinguisher CO2. "A partner?" He grasped the doorknob but it wouldn't turn. "Shit..." he gasped as the gas continued to obliterate his ability to breathe. "Get on the floor!" He ordered pushing her down.

He dialed Dean just as she drew his attention to the monitor where the senior Winchester was fighting for his life. Somehow the assailant had gotten free or the partner had entered the suite and taken him by surprise. Even as the air leeched from his lungs and he began to gasp through the cottony periphery of his vision, the assailant grabbed and dragged Dean out of range of the camera leaving a smear of blood behind.

"Damnit!" he cursed knowing his brother was in serious danger.

"Son of a bitch! DEEEAAAANNNN!" he coughed pounding at the door.

He kicked at the wall hoping there was someone in the room on the other side of it and yelled, wasting what little air his body was able to utilize, "SOMEBODY HEEEEEEELP! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOOOOR!"

His gaze fell to the featureless brushed steel knob. Stars were exploding in his eyes as he turned to the woman beside him. Her lips were turning blue from oxygen deprivation and though she was trying hard to control her breathing he could see she was having great difficulty.

"Ha...hair pin?" he gasped relieved when she handed a bobby pin to him. In return he pressed his cell phone into her hand, "911..." he nodded, "Tell 'em..."

She took the phone nodding her understanding as he bit the plastic off the end of the pin and squinted, blinking hard, trying to find the access slot that would enable him to remove the knob and give them a chance to call for help and get some fresh air into the tiny closet.

The bobby pin slid from his suddenly clumsy and sausage-like fingers and a wave of vertigo left him slumped against the door.

"Sam..." she crawled to him and with the last bit of air she could muster left her human form behind to become once again the ochre colored vixen.

Her lungs expanded and her head cleared quickly as her body's oxygen requirements were fractionalized. Standing on Sam's shoulder, her back paws gripped into his skin while her front paws scratched at the door, her piercing and incessant barking more likely to alert someone to help them.

OOooOO

_That's not a good sound..._ the thought flitted through Dean's muddled mind as he turned his attention away from the vixen's yipping and back to the task at hand so he could block the arm with the taser pressed down toward his face, _hope he at least got a chance to call 911... C'mon Sammy..._ he felt his eyes widen as the charge arced between the poles of the device. His ears were ringing and his head was swimming, loaded with pressure that sloshed from side to side with his movements after the lamp had slammed into his skull. _Gonna need stitches... AGAIN... could use a little... help... here..._ he groaned, drew in a deep breath and with a shift of his grip, grasped the arms above him and locked his legs around the waist before flipping to the side and literally getting the upper hand.

He pushed down as the person beneath him went into a frenzy just before he was able to press the taser down and squeeze the trigger.

_Shit!_ his teeth snapped on his tongue as the electricity shot through his legs, _not there!_ he shuddered internally as he felt the shock course all the way up zinging all of his sensitive spots.

He practically launched himself off the floundering body then when he was completely clear pressed the trigger down again until the assailant was done.

In the background of his awareness Kitsune's barking seemed to be fading.

"I'm coming... hang on you two..." he breathed ripping cord out of the lamps base and using it to quickly hog tie the newcomer.

"If you hurt them so help me God Julie..." he let the threat hang in the air just before he slid the ski-mask off her face. It was the pale blue dove eyes that had given her away though he still had no idea who the guy was.

From not too far off in the distance the sound of sirens began to grow as he stumbled out into the hallway and glanced dumbfounded at the almost dozen people standing by their respective room doors while the vixen's bark seemed to grind to a stop.

"Someone needs help and all you can do is stand out here!? What's the matter with you people!" he yelled furiously and threw the lock on the closet door, his blood plummeted to his feet as Sam's upper body fell out into the hallway, "If you're not gonna help then get the fuck out of here!" he cursed angrily then grasped his brother under the shoulders and dragged him out into the hall.

"Sam? Sammy?" he leaned forward pressing his ear to the young mans' chest, his eyes fell to the vixen, "they're tied up go keep an eye on them?"

With his fingers at Sam's throat he could feel a faint heartbeat so tilted his head back, opening the airway then waited a few seconds. Just as he'd hoped the young man's breathing reflex was strong once the airway was opened again. Just before he gasped, his skin began to turn from marble white to pink again and Dean rested on his heels knowing his boy would be alright.

The sound of metal and multiple footfalls from the area of the elevator drew Dean's attention down the hall as the paramedics approached their position. Against the far wall a patch of white in the shape of a fire extinguisher drew his attention and he was relatively certain what had happened.

"Are you alright?" one of the EMT's asked crouching beside him, noting the blood running down the back of his head, "What happened?"

"He needs oxygen..." he directed then looked at the others, "There's a woman in our room who could use some too... they got locked in the closet and hit with a fire extinguisher."

"Sir where's the blood coming from?" the first EMT asked raising a hand toward his head, "I'm just gonna take a look here..."

OOooOO

Three days later...

"So lemme get this straight... this guy would just randomly pick someone staying in the Hail Mary suite and kill 'em?" Sam asked slugging down the last of his water while Dean bit another piece of pizza in half.

"Apparently it wasn't that random..." he muttered around the mouthful.

"Then how'd he choose who he was going to kill?"

"Dicks. From what the detective said he stuck with folks in the suite because they could afford it and from what they found out later, this guy had run-ins with each of the folks he killed or complaints registered against him for whatever reason."

"So what was Julie's story?" Sam asked, "Y'know I knew there was something wrong with that girl."

"Good instincts Sammy... definitely very Glenn Close," Dean sat back eyeing the last piece of pizza, "Apparently she found out what Chuckles was doing and kinda went Mallory to his Mickey... this time he decided that SHE was the one who'd been slighted when I turned her down so he came after me for embarrassing her."

"He was defending her honor?" Sam asked shaking his head.

"Apparently."

Sam shook his head, "I still can't believe you turned her down."

"Dude..." Dean scowled then pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Still getting the zingers?" Sam asked watching his big brother wince. This last concussion had been accompanied by a slight depression fracture where a corner of the lamp's base tore into his head.

Dean nodded.

"Wanna go for a walk? Get some fresh air?" Sam suggested, "And some beer?"

"Yeah, good idea..." Dean grunted.

Just a couple blocks away there was a liquor store and the late summer evening's dark lavender was soothing to both of them. There was no job they had to be at, no hunt that required them, and at the moment no leads to Lilith's whereabouts.

As Dean locked the door behind them and they turned in unison to walk down the road, somewhere behind them, a digital camera clicked.

OOooOO

End.

Please R&R.

Thanks.

sifi.


End file.
